It was an honor to present at last week's Mission Transition summit in Washington, D.C., alongside President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush. I joined decision-makers from every sector and industry to discuss the transition process for post-9/11 veterans and military families. And I have to say, I am encouraged by what I saw.

With its multitude of heads, the Hydra of Greek mythology must have faced internal dissension. How did it resolve basic questions such as whom to attack? Or perennial puzzlers such as whether Jerusalem is in Israel? In his "second labor," Hercules used his golden sword to slay the Hydra, so we will never know.

CEOs contended their corporations are too poor to pay overtime, but on their next quarterly call with shareholders, they'll brag about record profits. In 2013, corporate profits were at their highest level in 85 years. That same year, employee compensation was at its lowest level in 65 years.

We know more than ever before about what works to improve results for young people, their families and communities, and across the country there is growing bipartisan momentum behind shifting public funds toward evidence-based solutions.

As Chris Taylor points out in his terrific new book, How Star Wars Conquered the Universe: The Past, Present, and Future of a Multibillion Dollar Franchise, there has always been a political component to these motion pictures.

I would like that same kind of trust and credibility from our president and his administration and his advisers. They have every right to take credit for their successes, but they also have every responsibility to accept the blame for their mistakes, misjudgments and failures.

You don't need cybernetic eye implants and immersive propaganda portals to alter history. You don't need to wait decades to have disinformation beamed into your head. You just need a constant stream of misleading information, half truths, and fictions to be promoted, pushed, and peddled until they are accepted as fact.

Today, former President George W. Bush is giving the keynote speech in Irvine, Texas, at a major fundraising convention for a messianic religious group whose goal is to convert Jews to Christianity, so there can be the Rapture. So much for compassionate conservatism.

The healthcare train has left the station, albeit with some struggles. And there will be other hurdles ahead for the law. But, as more Americans see the options that are available to them, they will understand the true significance of Obamacare. And then they will be "addicted to the sugar!"

As a member of the National Council on the Arts, the advisory board to the National Endowment for the Arts, I was pleased to read about the recent unveiling of the Rosa Parks statue in the U.S. Capitol Building's National Statuary Hall.